


The Gardener & the Soldier

by Bunny_Iras



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-10 09:51:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10435098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bunny_Iras/pseuds/Bunny_Iras
Summary: "If you were going to kill me how would you do it?" Bucky looked Rooney in the eye and without falter or consideration answered, "With my hands."





	1. The Cranberry Mystique

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a work I've been developing for quite sometime about a woman named Rooney Kessler and her life intertwined with Bucky and Steve Rogers across the years of 1943 to 2017. This work has appeared on ff.net in a simplified form but I felt it was time to fully flesh out this character and story. Please let me know what you think!

1943

Rooney's body ached more than it ever had before, lain on the concrete like a dead animal. A cold sweat dripped from her forehead, down her cheek, tickling her neck. Below her was a thin linen blanket, but it hardly did anything but protect her body from the frozen floor. She fought for breath and clutched her hands into her chest to create a cocoon of warmth from her body. She knew this would not work because winter in Italy might as well have been winter in Russia. She was in this cage for who knows how long, a cage in a dark, small room. There was another empty cage next to her, but for the entire time she’d been there no one had inhabited it.

Suddenly there was a clanking of footsteps approaching the room. Rooney sucked in a breath and readied herself. Two soldiers entered and locked the door to her cage, they grabbed her by her arms and drug her into another room down the hall. Just like yesterday, and the day before and the day before. Her toes felt frozen, even underneath her wool socks.

Hoisted up onto a table, Rooney's hands were bound at her sides. More than once had she gotten severely punished for trying to escape so they gave extra precaution and tightened the leather straps painfully around her wrists. 

The small doctor came in. She did not know his name, but it didn't matter. She preferred not to know anyway. 

"How are you feeling this evening, Miss Kessler?" The German man sneered. 

Rooney didn't respond. She never did. She didn't know if that helped or damaged her situation, but she didn't want to find out. 

"Just do it." 

The doctor smiled, gesturing for the nurse to cover Rooney's eyes and to initiate the shots. First a small, single shot. Then two slightly larger needles. Then three, four, five and six, on each arm. 

Every day Rooney expected her voice to go out after screaming out in pain, but every day her screams seemed to only become heavier and throated. They never went away. She never got used to the pain. 

After every session Rooney would be analyzed, her weight taken, and given a heavy dose of protein. Rooney weighed 90 pounds.

The soldiers dragged Rooney back to her cage and tossed her in. She landed on her chest and she felt all the air escape from her lungs. Coughing, she struggled to sit up agains the bars, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Someone whispered behind her. Rooney flipped around as fast as she could and stared at a man in the cage next to hers.

"Who are you?" She muttered out, frightened at first, but he looked like a prisoner, like her. Messy dark hair with dirt on his face. She hadn’t seen anyone other than HYDRA agents her entire time here.

"My name is James."

"James…?"

"Barnes. James Buchanan Barnes." He stuck out his hand slowly through the bars. Rooney shook it with as much grip as she could muster. His hands were large, enveloping hers like they were a child’s. She laughed to herself gently, the idea of being civil seemed so out of place in their situation. "What's your name?"

"Rooney Kessler." She pulled her hand back. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a sergeant of the USS, 107th. My troop got raided, taken. We were forced to work on their rockets but I got sick, they moved me here."

Rooney felt tears consume her vision. "I'm so sorry James. I'm so sorry." She reached out and touched the top of his hand in sincerity, she knew what that meant for him.

Rooney then fell onto her back in a huff and a thud and coughed out. 

"Are you okay? Rooney? Do you want me to get--"

"No!" She yelled, "If they know how I am after experimentation they'll just kill me…I have to just wait until I can't feel again."

James narrowed his eyes. 

"How long have you been here?" He asked after a while.

She shook her head. "I don't know." She coughed. "What year is it?" 

"1943." Rooney ran her hands through her hair and shook her head. 

"I don't believe that." Bucky watched her as she tried to make sense of it. Rooney breathed in, forgetting exactly how long ago she remembered being captured. "I was captured when I came over here, from England. I came over here in 1938…but that just cannot be." 

Bucky heavily swallowed, feeling sorry for Rooney and fearing what was going to happen to him. They must have done so much to her in five years, he didn’t know how she was still alive. 

There was suddenly two voices coming from outside the room. Rooney quickly turned to Bucky.

“Don't fight back, they will only hurt you more. Just take it. We can’t escape. Hydra is too strong." The door was opened and Rooney grabbed Bucky's hand and squeezed. “Don’t fight back.” She whispered, his forehead cringed in preparation and he squeezed back as he was taken away. 

…

Rooney had passed out not soon after Bucky had left. But when he came back she was awoken by his screams of pain. Rooney saw bruises on his face, his shirt open and blood smeared around the collar. 

"You fought back didn't you?" She reached her hand through the bars to touch his face but he pulled back, silent, confused, and in pain. Rooney stayed against the bars looking at him. Soon enough Bucky leaned against the bars in pain. Exhaustion stained his ragged breath. Rooney touched his arm gently and Bucky placed his hand over hers. "You'll get used to this, James."

Bucky coughed and mumbled. "Bucky. My friends called me Bucky.” Rooney smiled gently and slipped her blanket through the bars. Bucky took it with hesitation.

Rooney brought her arm through the bars and hugged him from behind and through the bars. "Bucky…" she mumbled. "I have a feeling we're going to become very close." 

Bucky smirked, just thankful he had someone else there. As did Rooney. 

…

“What’s your…favorite fruit?” Bucky asked, laying on the floor with his feet resting up against the wall. Rooney sat cross-legged on the floor in her respective cage, her eyes closed.

“Umm…I like cranberries.”

“Cranberries?”

“Yeah…they remind me of the holidays with my family. I suppose it’s been a while since I’ve had one of those…I wonder if they think I’m dead.” Rooney muttered, her voice cracking in the cold. Small bursts of clouds exited her mouth.

“I think my family’s already been written the letter.” Bucky said, distain in his voice.

“The letter?” Rooney questioned, laying down, facing Bucky.

“The “your son has been either killed or missing in action” letter.” 

“Oh,” Rooney looked down, “Well at least when you get back the surprise will be twice as nice.” She smiled at him.

“Yeah.” Bucky agreed half-heartedly, looking at her. “I like strawberries.” 

Rooney scooted her body closer to the bars that separated them, “Oh yeah? Do you like strawberry cheesecake?”

He nodded, “Love it.” 

“My mother has the best recipe for strawberry shortcake, I can make it for you when we get out of here.” Rooney smiled, Bucky looked at her curiously.

“You really think we’ll get out of here alive?” Bucky asked, a certain inflection on the word ‘alive.’

“Oh, I know we are.” She smirked with so much assurance on her face Bucky almost felt confident as well. They shared a short, wordless conversation while looking at each other through the bars that separated them. It had been weeks since Rooney first met Bucky, through those weeks they had gotten to know each other in a way that was akin to that of courting and first dates, talking about their interests, where they want to visit and what their favorite things are. Rooney rested her hand around one of the bars and Bucky brushed his finger over her knuckles.

They would be left alone for days at a time, only given one meal a day consisting of bread, sliced ham, and watered down milk to build up their muscle mass. And every few days one or both would be taken away for testing and experimentation. Rooney was getting the worst of it, as Bucky was still weak from his sickness and she had been there longer. 

“I used to love gardening. Back in England my family had acres of land, my mother and I would plant tomatoes, strawberries, orange trees, rose bushes, everything you could think of. I wonder how the garden looks now…I wonder if my mother still cares for it…”

Bucky watched Rooney as she thought to herself. She picked at her fingernails in a rhythm that sounded soft like a guitar in the distance. If he closed his eyes it helped him forget where they were.


	2. "Within My Heart I Know I'll Never Stop"

A Few Days Later

Rooney was strapped to the table, two needles were injected into either arm, half filled with a blue liquid, the other with a thick silver liquid. Whatever they injected her with hurt more than anything they'd sent into her blood stream before. Rooney felt her insides pulsate, she felt the blood rush through her veins, everything burned. She started screaming out of pure shock and pain. 

"Please stop it, take it out! Please!" Rooney cried but two more needles were plunged into her arms. She began to sweat profusely and she felt like her entire body was steaming, her skin felt like it was hardening.

Rooney's skin began to release a thick mist, as though her entire body was smoking. The doctors backed slowly away as Dr. Zola was called into the room. 

When he entered Rooney saw a sick smile on his face.

"Leave her to rest. In an hour, come back and repeat the procedure. For now we work on the other patient." 

"No…" Rooney started to cry, her body so sore from the injections she barely had the energy to do so. They were going to do the same thing to Bucky.

The men left Rooney the dark room as her skin still steamed. She struggled against her reins and felt them loosen. She lifted her head up and forced her arms up and she easily lifted the straps off her body. 

Rooney struggled to sit up and ended up tumbling onto the floor in a heap. She expected her body to hurt but she felt nothing but the texture of the concrete floor. Slowly she stood and shuffled to the door. 

Locked.

Rooney looked around the room quickly and saw a file box on a desk in the corner. She rushed over to it and saw her name at the top of the folders. Rooney quickly grabbed as many as she could and stuffed them into a leather bag she found on the floor.

Suddenly she heard gun fire, the sound was so loud she fell to the ground in defense, but the more she listened she figured it was clearly outside the facility. She had to hurry. 

Rooney saw a gun hanging on the wall and three knives placed under the operating table she had just laid on. She grabbed those quickly and ran so fast to the door she didn't have time to stop and slammed right into the door, making it cave in and fly off it's hinges. 

Rooney let out a cough at the sudden lose of breath and looked around, shocked.

"What the fuck is going on with me?" Rooney rolled off of the door and onto her bare feet. "Bucky?!" She yelled, stumbling through the hallway. She was lost in a maze of hallways, confused at the lack of HYDRA soldiers roaming the halls, but thankful. 

She searched several rooms, all empty.

"Bucky where are you?!" Rooney scrambled around a corner and ran into a soldier. He brought his gun to her head but Rooney quickly grabbed it out of reflex and smashed his head in with the butt of it. The man fell to the ground and Rooney paused for several moments, holding the weapon in her hands. 

There was a loud explosion that brought her out of her head and she quickly ran toward it. Though she did the same thing she had before and ran straight into the wall at the end of the hallway.

"Shit." She laughed and got back on her feet quickly. 

"What was that?" She heard someone say and she ran towards it. 

Rooney spotted Bucky and a man with shield with stars and stripes on it. 

"Rooney!" Bucky yelled and ran toward her.

Rooney fell into him, “Bucky! Are you okay?"

Bucky laughed, "Yeah I'm okay, why is your skin smoking?" He asked in disbelief. 

"I don't know." Another explosion sounded, "We need to go, here."

She tossed the gun into his hands. "Steve this is Rooney, Rooney Steve." Rooney nodded.

"I've heard a lot about you." She smiled, "I thought you said he was shorter than I was?" 

"I thought so too." Steve pulled both of them toward the main room as another explosion shook the structure. 

…

They had escaped, all from the help of Bucky's best friend. Currently they were walking back to the camp. Rooney kept close to Bucky, who looked to side every other minute to see if she was still there. 

"Do you know why you were smokin' back there?"

Rooney shook her head, but kept silent. She was still trying to figure out why she felt so strange. 

Within the hour they were back at the camp. Everyone congratulated Captain America and Rooney escaped to the medic tent. 

…

Bucky walked into the medic tent. "There you are." He said, smiling at Rooney gently. She smiled at him sadly. A doctor held a stethoscope to her heart and had his eyes on a pocket watch. Bucky sat next to her on the bed.

"Well I don't know how but your resting heart rate is 250 beats per minute." Bucky eyes widened. "Other than that you're perfect, we will have to run a few blood tests in a little bit, I’ll have a nurse come find you.”

"But--" Rooney cut Bucky off.

"Thank you, doctor." She pulled him out of the tent quickly. 

"What the hell, Rooney? You're not okay."

"If I tell them what happened with me, or with you, imagine what they'll do to us." Bucky was silent. "We just need to rest. You need to rest, you look like you got hit by a truck." Rooney touched his cheek and Bucky smirked. 

"Come on, there's an extra bed in my tent." Rooney followed him back to his tent and sat on his bed. 

“How do you get you own tent?"

"Sergeant." Rooney raised an eyebrow but smiled. 

"I didn't know." She said.

"Now you do." Bucky took his sweater off quickly and dug through an old bag. Rooney looked down, embarrassed that she saw his bare chest. 

"When they injected me that last time, it was different Bucky. The liquid was blue and silver and when it entered my blood stream I felt so different. It hurt something terrible." Bucky sat in front of her on the ground and touched her bare feet. "I was so hot, I felt I might explode."

"Your body was steaming Rooney." 

"I know…and I feel unlike myself. I feel different than I usually do."

"Different how?" She shook her head.

"I feel powerful. Strong." Bucky smirked. 

"I'll have to challenge you to an arm wrestle soon." Rooney smirked. 

"Knock knock." A voice from outside chimed. Steve poked his head in. 

"Hey Steve." He walked in and sat on the bed opposite Rooney.

"Hey Buck--Miss Rooney. Agent Carter said she'd like a few words with you, along with a nurse that needs a blood sample."

Rooney smirked. "Tell her I'll be there soon." 

 

…

Rooney winced as the nurse took a sample of her blood. 

“Sorry.” She muttered, but Rooney felt like she was not very apologetic in the least. Rooney slumped back into her chair and rubbed a hand over her face, feeling the newly washed skin was like touching another person. She’d been filthy for so long it was as if it had became a part of her. She was probably in the shower for thirty minutes, rubbing all the dirt and washing her hair that was so long it reached half way down her back and was in need of a serious brushing.

A sound at the door brought Rooney’s attention to Agent Carter, whom had been shortly introduced to Rooney when they arrived at the camp.

“Miss Kessler, how are you doing?” Peggy asked, eying the nurse who was now taking her blood pressure.

“I’m alright I suppose, trying to get used to all these people.” Peggy smiled and nodded, sitting down in front of her.

The nurse suddenly spoke up, “I can’t imagine what the troop must have went through, horrible.” 

Peggy eyed her for a moment and nodded. “Yes, well, I cannot possibly imagine what you went through, Miss Kessler.” The nurse bowed her head and began to pack her kit away quickly.

“Call me Rooney, please…None of this feels quite real yet. I thought I would never get out.” She paused, “I thought—“

The nurse quickly left the room, leaving Rooney and Peggy alone. Rooney remained silent.

“You thought you would die there.” Peggy said and Rooney nodded. Her focus on her hands, picking at her chipped fingernails as Peggy continued, “How very brave you are—I don’t even know what I would have done in your situation.”

Rooney paused, her heart beating in her throat for just a moment before she calmed herself down. “It was hard…Although when Bucky—Sergeant Barnes arrived things seemed to still—they became easier to deal with. It could have been anyone though.”

“You two were together for quite sometime, I can imagine it made things easier.” Peggy paused, adjusting herself in her chair, “You know, my grandmother used to say that while it may not make sense at first, everything happens for a reason.”

Rooney smiled, almost mustering up the strength to chuckle, “It’s silly, I feel foolish but I believe I fell in love with him while we were there. I thought the feelings were temporary because he was the only one who knew what I was going through but now that we are away from that place I’m afraid the feelings are only stronger…Goodness, I’m sorry Agent Carter, I hardly know you and here I am spilling my heart all over.”

“Oh darling, it’s quite alright. Believe me, it’s nice to hear someone speak with their heart for once in this godforsaken place. And please, call me Peggy.” Rooney smiled once more. She felt close to Peggy in this moment, a strong woman with poise and beauty that was also caring was a woman she only aspired to be. 

After a moment of silence Rooney started to run her hands through her hair, wincing at the knots.

“My dear,” Peggy started, “Look at your hair. Hang on just one moment.” She stood and left the room for quite some time. Rooney was a nervous jumble of anxiety, though she hid it well—a force of habit—and she hated all this fuss over her. Without realizing it she was clutching the armrests of her chair and her fingers began to imprint into the metal. When the door opened again she quickly released the armrests like nothing had happened.

Peggy walked in with a bag and a brush in her hand. She ordered Rooney to turn around and began brushing her hair. Rooney let out a big sigh and leaned into every brush.

“I honestly can’t remember the last time my hair was brushed.”

“I can imagine it’s been awhile judging by all these monstrous tangles.” Peggy spoke as she ripped through a thick knot. Strangely enough Rooney felt no pain. “I’m going into town tonight, if you would like to join me you’re very welcome. Though I understand if you decline, it can all be a little much.”

Rooney thought about it for several moments, “I’ll think about it…this is a lot to take in so suddenly.”

“I understand…although I heard Sergeant Barnes will be down at the bar with Ste—Captain Rogers tonight.” Rooney sucked in a breath. 

“Will he?” Peggy just hummed in response, taking a few strands of her Rooney’s hair, pulled them back, and clipped them behind her head.

“You have such beautiful hair darling…it’d be a shame if a certain person were to miss out on it.” Rooney turned to look at Peggy who smiled widely at her.

…

“See? Told you, they’re all idiots.” Bucky said as Steve smugly sat down at the bar next to him.

“How about you? You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?”

Bucky smirked, “Hell no. That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight…I’m following him.” Steve paused, unsure what to say, but happy nonetheless. “You’re keeping the outfit right?”

Steve rolled his eyes gently, “You know what? It’s kinda growing on me.”

Bucky smiled, taking a drink. “Good.” 

Suddenly the music slowed, bringing the attention of the two soldiers around the corner. Steve stood up the moment he saw Peggy in a beautiful red dress. 

…

Rooney walked through the bar, shifting uncomfortably in her new black dress. Although she didn’t care for the ogles and stares from drunken soldiers, she rather felt good about them. She felt herself—pretty for the first time in a long while. The looks were not that of clinical observation, but of admiration. She would have traded one for the other any day. 

She found her way to the bar and sat down, breathing in as she observed her surroundings. She spotted Peggy speaking with Steve and what she suspected was Bucky, but she couldn’t be sure because his back was to her. 

The bartender pulled her from her thoughts. “What’ll you have, darling?” She paused.

“Whiskey sour please.”

“Comin’ right up.”

She glanced over and spotted Peggy walking over to her with a smirk on her face.

“Don’t be so shy, darling.” She said into her ear as she was passing. But Rooney suddenly felt all too apprehensive and was seconds away from leaving before her drink was placed before her. For a moment she remembered what it was like being drunk. And for a moment that was all she wanted.

…

Steve and Bucky sat back down and began enjoying their respective drinks.

“Say Buck…”

“Yeah?” He swallowed a big gulp.

“I did have one other person in mind for the team…”

“Oh yeah, who’s that?” 

Steve sucked in a short breath and pointed across the bar. “Her.”

Bucky’s head shot in his pointed direction and his eyes widened. He hadn’t even recognized her. Rooney, her hair looked soft, so delicately pulled back, and a tight black dress clung to her frame—though he could only see her upper half, he gawked. After a moment he came to his senses.

“Steve…I don’t know about that…”

“Bucky I can’t have been the only one that saw the way she handled herself back at the HYDRA base…she’s strong.” Steve plead with his eyes, only the eyes that Bucky would recognize from their childhood when he wanted something Bucky had. And Bucky was unable to say no.

“Fine…but I’m gonna tell her.” 

“By all means.” Steve smirked. Bucky looked suspiciously at Steve as he stood and slowly walked over to Rooney. 

…

Rooney took another sip from her second whisky sour and merely tasted the strong alcohol. She would think after all this time away from alcohol she would have been drunk already, but if she didn’t know any better she would say that she didn’t feel it at all.

Suddenly a presence appeared beside her.

“Can I buy you a drink?” She turned at the voice she so vehemently remembered and treasured, a voice that made her melt. Bucky.

She smirked at him and took a sip of her drink.

“Thank you, but I’ve already been taken care of.” Bucky raised his eyebrows and smirked. That wit was what he treasured. Bucky sat down next her, scooting the stool closer without being too obvious.

“Well that’s a shame because you have got to be the prettiest dame in here, and I’d love to share a drink with you.” Rooney looked at him, her eyes widened slowly. Did he really mean that? That she was pretty? Then Bucky muttered under his breath, but loud enough for her to hear, “God you’re so beautiful.”

Rooney downed the rest of her drink in one big gulp and set the glass down. “I think I’m ready for that drink, Sergeant.”

Bucky smiled, calling the bartender over. “Another beer for me please, and for the lady…”

“Whisky sour.” She smiled.

Bucky’s mouth dropped for a moment. “A whisky sour then. Thank you…Damn Roon.”

“My dad used to make them…they remind me of home…I’ve had two already though, so don’t take advantage of me, Sergeant.”

“I would never…two already you say? And a little thing like you ain’t drunk yet?” Rooney shook her head.

“I actually don’t feel it at all…do you?”

“…Now that you mention it…I don’t really.” Rooney looked into his eyes, the both of them sharing the same thought. Then together they both looked down, trying to think of something else.

“I saw you talking to Steve, it looked serious.”

Bucky nodded, “Yeah, he’s putting a team together…to hunt down more HYDRA bases, take out as many as we can.”

“And I’m guessing you’re on that team?” Rooney said sadly, her heart nearly breaking into a million sharp, tiny pieces. Bucky nodded.

“And, you are too…if you accept.” Rooney almost choked on her drink.

“Me?”

“Steve thinks you’re strong, and quick…I do too.” Bucky looked at her with uncertainty, but with a hint of sadness.

“It’s going to be dangerous isn’t it?”

“This is the war Rooney, it’s all dangerous.” Rooney sighed, subconsciously scooting closer to Bucky, while he leaned in as well. Rooney felt his nose graze her hair. She felt lightheaded and nervous, butterflies in her stomach and her throat.

“I accept.” She said, it was forced out but she knew she had to do it. Her anxiety was caused by these disgusting men, and now she had the chance to kill them with her own hands. She’d be a fool not to say yes. 

After a moment she turned her head to Bucky, their faces inches from each other. Last time they were this close there were bars between them. But now, nothing was stopping her from kissing him.

“Rooney, I have something I need to tell you.” Bucky said and Rooney sucked in a breath, her eyes fluttered as they blinked. The fear of being rejected was weighing on her, but their closeness, the heat they shared—back there in the HYDRA base and right now in this crowded bar—was palpable and arousing. Before Bucky could continue Rooney stood and grabbed his hand.

“It’s too loud in here.” She led him through the crowd of men and out the door into the cool night air. Soft clouds of air exited her mouth as she breathed heavily. She was working up the courage to turn around and face him, because she knew when she did she would kiss him. 

But then suddenly Bucky grabbed her upper arm and turned her around himself, not too rough but hard enough. Rooney saw his eyes and his heavy breathing and she bit her lip. At that Bucky groaned and pulled her as close to him as possible. His hand kept ahold of her arm and his other hand pulled her head to his, he felt her soft hair like velvet. Rooney could not think, nor breathe, she saw sparks and white and Bucky’s eyes. Then she felt his lips, gently brushing hers in a soft but firm kiss. Rooney stood there, her body pressed against this man she knew all at once she loved. Oh yes, did she love him so dearly. Slowly they parted lips.

“God I’ve wanted to do that for so long.” Rooney smiled softly, agreeing with Bucky. And without hesitation she grabbed him by his lapels and smashed her lips into his once more.


	3. If I Never Laugh Again, What Good Would That Do?

Bucky gently woke to an empty cot. He rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly, exhausted. He and Rooney had stayed up very late with each other. He smiled remembering it. While he yawned he suddenly caught sight of a back appearing and reappearing at the foot of the bed. He leaned up and saw Rooney doing push-ups, faster than he had ever done. Up and down, up and down, and up and down.

He chuckled, "What are you doing?" Rooney looked up at him and smirked.

"I couldn't sleep. I had so much energy last night when you went to sleep, I had to work it out some how."

"How long you been doin' those?"

"Not very long. But before I did some jumping jacks and set-ups and crunches." His eyes widened. 

"Why don't you go for a run?” He suggested. 

"Want to come with me?" 

Bucky shook his head. "I'm exhausted. I don't even know how you're awake right now, the things we did last night." Rooney stopped and crawled over to him. She hopped up on the bed and straddled him. Bucky smiled lazily. 

"I'll never forget last night."

"Oh, me either." He smiled and kissed her. Rooney kissed him back and rolled off of him. 

"I'm going to get breakfast. Did you want to come?" Bucky shook his head. 

"I'm gonna get a bit more sleep. But I'll see you out there." Rooney nodded and slipped on her thin coat. "Rooney?"

She turned at the door, "Hmm?"

"You feeling okay?"

She narrowed her eyes, confused. "I feel fine, Bucky. Go back to sleep." He smiled gently and Rooney walked out of the tent. 

At the moment Rooney felt a cold breeze hit her cheeks she felt different. She felt…strange. Rooney walked to the table with breakfast, if it could be called that. She got a plateful of grits and toast. 

She pushed the grits around with her fork, feeling uneasy and warm, like her blood was simmering. She felt hot, even though the temperature was nearing freezing and there was snow on the ground. Her hands began shaking and she felt like she had to move, do something. But she didn't know what, so she sat there, looking at the table, shuffling the snow under her shoes. 

"Hey sweet thing." Rooney heard behind her. She made no move to turn to the addresser. "Why don't you come down to my tent tonight and give me some of what you gave the sarge last night?" 

When the man caressed her shoulder tightly Rooney flinched, she rapidly grabbed her fork and stabbed his hand. She stood and rammed his head into the table as hard and as many times as she could before she felt two arms pull her back quickly. 

"Get off of me." Rooney yanked herself back to see Steve looking extremely confused and worried but he put up his arms. 

Rooney suddenly breathed out and looked back at the man that had touched her, now on the ground in the fetal position clutching his hand. Her heart began to palpitate rapidly, her body was flooded with heat. Rooney pushed past Steve and ran into the woods as fast as she could. 

…

Bucky walked out of his tent, slipping his jacket on. He noticed a lot of commotion going on and ran over to Steve.

"Steve, what happened?" Bucky looked at one of the soldiers cradling a bloody hand. Steve turned to him.

"Rooney." Bucky narrowed his eyes. 

"What did he say to her?" He asked pointedly, knowing Rooney was gentle--volatile sometimes maybe, but he knew she had to have been provoked to cause so much damage. 

"I don't know."

Bucky looked back at the man and clinched his jaw. 

Suddenly there was a loud screech coming from the woods where Rooney ran to. Bucky and Steve looked at each other for a moment and both began sprinting toward the sound. Bucky ran as fast as he could, a knot in his stomach. Steve was a good three yards in front of him the entire way and he spotted Rooney first. She was on her knees slamming her fists into the ice, bloody knuckles rising up and down. Steve ran to her and tried to stop her from harming herself but she quickly punched him in the face and backed away. 

"Rooney?" She looked at him and her eyes widened. She breathed out and saw he was clutching his face. Rooney ran to him and Steve enveloped her in his arms.

"Oh my god Steve I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." 

"It's okay--it's okay." Steve looked at her and noticed her eyes were glossy but bloodshot and her cheeks were bright red. 

"Rooney?!" Bucky ran to them and Rooney jumped from Steve to Bucky's arms in a split second. 

Rooney clutched his jacket lapels and looked him in the eye. "Bucky I don't know what happening to me." 

Steve watched them, happy that she wasn't completely crazy. But suddenly something caught his attention. 

"Buck...?"

Bucky looked at Steve in question but suddenly noticed the same thing he was referring to. Rooney was releasing steam like she had the day they escaped the Hydra camp. 

"Rooney are you okay?" Her eyes her cloudy and she grimaced in pain. "Rooney?"

"Bucky I'm so hot, I can't stand anymore, I'm so..." Rooney slipped from his hold but Bucky caught her before she fell to the ground. Steve helped him sit her up against a tree. "Bucky I'm so...so hot..." She breathed out, feeling her throat begin to constrict. 

Bucky looked around quickly and picked up a clump of snow. He hesitantly placed it on her neck, she groaned out but the steam coming from her body began to dissipate where ever he placed the snow. 

"Is this helping?" Rooney nodded quickly. 

"Yes, yes it is...I feel like I'm burning up from the inside..."

Steve picked up a clump of snow as well and placed it on her arm. It melted almost immediately. 

"Buck, I'm gonna go back and get ice, this snow is melting too fast." 

Bucky nodded, "Thank you, Steve." He watched Steve start to sprint back through the woods and he brought his attention back to Rooney. He picked up a chunk of snow and placed it on her chest. Rooney sucked in a breath as the water dripped down her breasts. 

"Bucky what’s happening to me?" He shook his head, as Rooney started to tear up.

"I don't know, doll. But I'm going to stop it." Rooney's smirk was almost lost in her grimace but Bucky saw it and smiled. His hands started to grow numb after holding all the snow but he kept at it. 

Bucky suddenly felt Rooney's heart beat and his eyes widened. "Rooney your heart feels like it's vibrating." She closed her eyes and breathed in heavily.

"I know. It's all I can hear in my ears." Bucky displayed a pained look on his face, he was so worried about her, and he had no idea what was going on. Bucky kissed her forehead gently as Steve ran back up to them with a bucket of ice. They both sighed in relief. Bucky pulled his sleeve over his hand and grabbed a chunk of ice and placed it on her forehead where he had previously kissed. 

"You should try eating some of the smaller ice chips, I think it'll help you cool down." Steve held one up to her and she nodded, taking it in her hand. The second she placed it in her mouth she sighed deeply. She could feel the cold water rushing down her throat. "Feeling any better?" 

Rooney nodded, "Thank you so much Steve," she grabbed Bucky's hand, "thank you Bucky." 

Bucky smiled. The steam was quickly fading from Rooney's skin as she continued to ingest the ice chips, which was a huge relief to both Bucky and Steve. 

"I'm feeling better, thank you so much." Bucky pushed the hair out of her face.

"Do you think you can walk?" He asked. She shuffled against the tree but was eventually able to stand. Bucky pulled her arm around his shoulder and Steve handed her another ice chip. "You'll probably want to lay down when we get back to camp." 

Rooney groaned. "Ugh...camp..." Bucky suspected she was nervous about entering the camp again.

"Hey, on the bright side, I think you've made every man back there completely terrified of you." Steve said, handing her another ice chip. Rooney smirked.

"They better be." She said. Bucky chuckled as he gripped her waist gently. Rooney was still radiating heat and if it wasn't 20 degrees out he'd hate it. She was acting as his own personal fire place. 

When they entered camp Bucky took her straight to his tent, with a few glances from the soldiers, and laid her on the bed. She was still munching on ice but not as quickly, she seemed to be cooling down. 

She sighed, "I hurt him really bad Buck..." 

"What did he say to you?" 

She shook her head, "It doesn't matter...he was just an asshole but he didn't deserve what I did to him." 

"Well you did shove a fork through his hand and gave him a pretty severe concussion..."

"See? Why did I do that? What's wrong with me Bucky?" He shook his head, kneeling beside her.

"They did something to you, Rooney, something they didn't do to me..."

They sat in silence for a short time before Rooney spoke slowly. 

"Bucky...I think the doctors were trying to imitate what they did to Steve...and they tested it out on me...after they injected me that last time they said they were going to inject you as well, but then Steve came and stopped them." Bucky rubbed his face and sat down on the ground. 

"You're not any bigger though?"

"Well they couldn't get everything exact...I'm sure Steve doesn't steam from his skin either." Bucky nodded, shock effecting his entire body.

How could they? How could those horrible people do such a thing to such a gentle woman? It angered him to his core. He wished they had done it on him first instead, so Rooney wouldn't have to deal with these side effects. 

"Do you feel any stronger?" 

"I do actually, it's quite strange...I feel energetic but exhausted at the same time." Bucky nodded, and held her hand. Suddenly there was a presence at the door. 

“Don’t mean to break up anything but I need to see whoever’s blood this is immediately.” Howard Stark stood at the entrance of their tent holding a vile of deep dark blood, breathless with a look of tire and excited on his face. Rooney stood and looked at the vile. “Are you R. Kessler?” 

She nodded. “My name is Rooney Kessler.” Bucky stepped up behind her. 

“I need you to come with me immediately.”

…

Rooney, Bucky, and Steve walked through the underground base full of various labs and file cabinets, desks, and busy-body people. They were following Howard Stark. 

“As we all know Steve was apart of Project Rebirth, where we injected you with a serum that was a product tirelessly created by myself and Dr. Erskine. When I take a sample of your blood and run it through a microscopic lens it looks like this.” Howard turned on an overhead projector displaying small red particles tightly knit together. “And for context, this is what a normal slide of blood looks like, from yours truly.” Howard flipped the image to another, with the particles set farther apart. “Miss Kessler, this is what your blood profile looks like.”

Howard place an image of another sample but the particles were tripled, various sizes and shapes and colors, mainly red, peach, and silver colored.

“What does this mean, Mr. Stark?” Steve asked.

“You see these particles?” He pointed to a particular peach shape, “They are identical to the effect the serum had on your profile, Rogers. And then you see these? These particles share the same biological chemistry as the strongest metal on Earth…” 

Steve looked at his shield, “Vibranium?”

“You got it. Hydra injected vibranium into Miss Kessler’s blood stream, on top of a make-shift, experimental super soldier serum. Without that combination you would have died the second that metal or the serum hit your veins. But because of it, you not only have a biological profile identical to Captain Rogers, but you in fact have the strongest, rarest metal on Earth flowing through your veins as we speak.” Rooney’s hand shook, she was receiving so much information she felt like she might pass out. “In short, Miss Kessler, you may be indestructible.”

“What…” She muttered, looking down at the ground. 

“There will need to be some further examination however, to prove my theory. If you have the time right now, Miss Rooney, I’d love to move on further with this.” She looked at Bucky who’s eyes were widen, confusion written all over his face. 

“Yes, I guess that’s fine.” 

“Fantastic, now if you’ll excuse us gentlemen, you’ll see Miss Kessler back before the end of the day.” Howard smiled, ushering the two large men out of the room. 

Howard shut the door and stepped over to a table and grabbed a small pistol. 

“So, for the sake of experimentation, Miss Rooney, as I said before alluding to your indestructibility, if I were to shoot you right here and now in the chest, you would not only survive unscathed, but your body would reject the bullet completely.” Rooney narrowed her brow. 

“So if you were to shoot me, I wouldn’t be injured?” 

“Theoretically. If I’m wrong we can get you patched up in the room next door in seconds. Do I have your permission to shoot you in the chest?” Rooney’s heart beat in her throat, a constant whine that would not stop. But she decided to take the risk.

“You have my permission.”

Howard smirked, “Atta girl.” He stepped backwards slowly and aimed it at her chest. In less than a second the gun went off and Rooney fell unconscious to the ground. “Shit!” He yelled.

Howard dropped the gun and ran over to Rooney. He knelt down and picked her head up in his lap.

“Miss Kessler?!” He yelled, examining the bullet wound in her chest. Suddenly there was pounding on the door from the other side. “Come on, I know I was right. Come on!”

After a moment of panic from Howard, Rooney suddenly coughed, her body shaking itself awake. “Oh my god.” She murmured, her hand shooting up to the wound. Howard smirked wildly watching something amazing happen before his eyes. The bullet was slowly making its way out of her chest cavity, eventually plopping out of her skin and landed with a ting on the concrete below them. 

“Fascinating,” He muttered, checking her pulse and smiling. “Are you alright, Miss Kessler?”

Rooney touched the skin fragments of her chest that were building themselves back up beneath her finger tip. 

“You were right.” She said, “I can’t believe you were right…I don’t understand, Mr. Stark.” She slowly sat up. 

“If I’m being honest I don’t quite understand myself. I’ve never seen anything like this before.” He said, still in awe. Rooney smirked at him and chuckled. She had just been shot in the chest and she felt even better than she did before. “You’re absolutely amazing.”

“Thank you Mr. Stark, but sadly I’m taken.” She chuckled with Howard. 

“Mr. Stark, everything alright in there?” Someone yelled from the opposite side of the door.

“Yeah, everything’s great!” Rooney stood and sat herself down at a stool as Howard began writing furiously in his notebook. “Now, Miss Rooney, I have a few other tests in mind, one involving a blowtorch and an electric chair. You feel ready to continue?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think!


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